Head coach Mark Dantonio holds up the winning trophy along with players Chris Frey #23, Brian Lewerke #14, and Damion Terry #6 of the Michigan State Spartans after defeating the Washington State Cougars 42-17 in the SDCCU Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium on December 28, 2017 in San Diego, California.(Photo11: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

At this point, fan expectations for the Michigan State football team have reached a point where it might be College Football Playoff or bust.

While there are seeds for lofty aspirations in place, thanks to 19 starters returning from a 10-3 team that dominated Washington State in the Holiday Bowl, national pundits are still pretty high on the Spartans -- but maybe not "Final Four" high.

Interestingly enough, all 43 picked Clemson and 40 selected defending champion Alabama to reach the CFP. Lee Corso and Myron Medcalf have Wisconsin winning it all, and Desmond Howard picked Michigan to bring home the trophy, among the Big Ten teams. Nobody picked Ohio State to win the title.

ESPN also released its Week 1 bowl projections. Kyle Bonagura has Michigan State playing Auburn in the Citrus Bowl and Mitch Sherman has the Spartans playing LSU in the Outback Bowl, neither of which is a New Year's Six game.

College Football News is one of the few that has Michigan State heading to the New Year's Six, playing Auburn in the Peach Bowl.

SB Nation's Jason Kirk had a little fun with his bowl projections, picking a 'super normie' group, followed by one with absolute chaos. In the former, the Spartans play LSU in the Outback Bowl. In the latter, it's MSU vs. MSU crime in Michigan State vs. Mississippi State in the Citrus Bowl in the "ultimate battle of DISRESPECTed GRITitude. The winner is The Real MSU of FBS." However, this second group of picks also has Michigan making the CFP.